Windrow hay loader



April- 3, v1,928.

i nm@ 4 VSheets--Srheet 2 m1; A qt@ AHIIIIII L H` KAUPKE WINDROW HAY LOADER Filed aan. 4. 19,23

April 3, 1928. 1,664,688

L. H. KAUPKE WINDROW HIV#r LOADER Filed Jan. 4; 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 3, 1928. '1,664,688

L.. H. KAUPKE 4 WINDROW HAY LOADER Filed Jan. 4. 1923 4 sheets-sheet 4 lll Patented Apr. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oifriiciz.l N

LEE II. KAPK, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, JASSIGNOR TU ROCK ISLAND PLGW CM- PA'NY, (JF ROCK ISLAND,.ILLINOIS,` A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

WINDROW HAY LOADER. i

Application filed January 4, 1923. lSerial No. 610,639.

My invention consists in certain. improvements in the construction and operation of windrow hay loaders. My improvements relate more particularly to the means for adjusting the eleva tionv of the rotary rake, affording support to the rake bars and web slats ot the conveyor intermediate their ends in order to strengthen and to some extent at the same time lighten the structure, and the provision of a wind-board at the upper end of the elevator.

My improvements also include the use of a shaft fior the rotary rake which performs lno function as the axle ot' the implement, the wheels of the implement being carried upon bearings which are entirely independent ot the rotary rake shaft and have no relation thereto `other than in the provision of means whereby the rotation ot the wheels upon which the implement` is mounted is communicated to the rotary raker shaft. In my improved hay-loader the axles upon which the drive-wheels are mounted take the'l'orm of separate stub axles on opposite sides o'l the implement. These axles support the iniplement, thus, as above stated, relieving the rake shaft of. all weight. The rake shaft thus merely receives rotation from the drivewheels which rotation actuates the rake and elevator. The bars upon which the rake teeth are mounted are supported intermediate their ends by a hexagonal frame, there being six of the rake bars in the implement illustrated. Loosely mounted upon each oi the rake bars, near its center, is a projecting member adapted to come up against and support the passing Web-Slat of the conveyor.

In the drawings- Figure l is a side elevation of my improved hay-loader in its entirety;

Fig. 2 isran elevation of one ot' the rear or drive wheels Vwith the associated mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a vertical central View transversely of the drive-wheeland mechanism taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the rake cylinder, drive wheel bearing, and means for raising and lowering the frame and rake shaft relative to the drive-wheels, the means for commimicating rotation from the drive-wheel to the rake shaft being omitted in order to better exhibit the parts shown. In this view the frame and rake cylinder are shown as elevated almostto their `extreme limit relative to the drive-wheel and ground.

Fig. 5 is a view of the raising and lowering mechanism, showing the :trame and rake shaft in a lower position `than shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is `an end view of the upper endy oi' the elevator, Vthe View being taken from the right of the structure as shown Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is a detail viewin side elevational the upper end of the elevator showing the means for adj Listing the tension of the endless conveyor,`

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8*8 of Fig. 5 through a part of the drive-Wheel. bearing which serves as a guide and the cooperating member of the frame of the machine which is adapted to move vertically in the guide so formed; and

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view showing the relation of the conveyor slats Ato the rake cylinder.

As shown in Fig. l, my improved hayloader is of a type now in general use in so far as it consists of a frame A carried at the front by truck wheels l and at the rear bv drive wheels 2, soecalled because they drive the rake cylinders, and through the rake cylinders drive the endless conveyor which passes around the rake cylinders and around idler wheels at the top ot' the elevator. The shaft of the rake cylinder, designated by the letter L, is rotatably mounted in fixed relation to the frame A, and the frame A is mounted upon and vertically adjustable with respect to the drive wheel 2, which -adjustable mounting provides means Vfor lowering and raising the rake cylinderrelative to the ground. This part of the construction is shown most clearly in Figs. 2, 3, ll and The frame A of the machine is mounted u3- on and connectedvto the bearings of tie drive-wheel`s 2 through a lever D and link E. The lever D is pivoted at F to a pedestal G ixed to the frame A, and the-short arm of the lever D is pivoted at 30 to the upper end of link E, the lower end of link E being pivoted at 31 to the upper part l of a wheel bearing member which is desig-V nated generally by the letter l, rlhe wheel bearing members l-there being one at each yside of the machine-are in effect separate stub axles, there being no continuous vehicle therewith at I?. When therlever is moved,

Y designated as I2 upon which the drive-wheel Vaxle extending across the machine from side to side. These stub axles I shall'refer to. for convenience, as wheel bearings. or wheel bearing members. A l

The wheel bearings I being supported by the wheels 2 are at a fixed elevationfrom the ground. Each of the wheel bearing members I comprises a cylindrical; section 2 isjournaled and an upwardly projecting part. Upon their inner sides theV bearing members II are formed with opposedflanges 9 havlng overhanging .edge portions 32 which form a guide-way `to receive the `vertically adjustablev plate B, which plate B' is rigid with and in effect a part of the framey A. As shown in Fig. 3 the side railof the' frameAv is a longitudinal angle ironl Rig idly fixed to the frame 'A by means bolts N is the rake-'shaftebearing member() which' is provided with Yupwardly projecting 4ears 8 throughl which the bolts N pass, thus con# necting the rake shaft bearing v'member 0 rigidlyV with the .frame A of the machine, as above stated.V Plate B, above mentioned, is liXedly vand rigidly attached to the rake shaft bearing member O by anyA suitable means, bolts 83 being shown for that purpose in Fig. 3. The rake shaft L has its` bearings on rollers mounted in bearing member O.

' From" the. foregoing it will be apparent that plate B and member O are rigid with` Vand in e'ect va part Vof the viframe A, and

that as "the frame A. is raised and lowered plate B will slide vertically .upwardv` and downward in the. guide formedby the flanges 9 which are formed upon and are a part .of

the'wheel-bearing member I. 4A-'notched segment C fixe'dly mounted upon the frame ol the machinelcoacts with a'latch 5 mounted upon the leverD 'for the'purpose o'fholding the frame of the vmachine Vin adjusted po`sition. It will be apparent that in the vertical adjustment the frame fandwith Vit the rake shaft, the pivotal point 31 at. thek top I of the 'bearing member Iis a fixed point relative to: theground' and to the wheel 2. The. leverD hasits fulcrum attheupper end 30 of linlr E and supportsV the rear end of theframe through its pivotal connection the frame will move vertically relative tothe wheel and ground, and during this movement the rake shaft bearing O and with'y it the rake shaft L will have a similar kvertical.

movement, during which movement the'plate B which, as above stated, isrlgidly secured fto the"rakeshatt bearing 0, will also have "a vertical movement in "the guider formed by theflanges 9 member I. f j

I have shown the wheel-bearing member upon wheel bearing 4I provided with acentral yvertical slot K Y through which the rake shaft'L projects vand inv which it is free to move vertically. W'hile lthe wheel and ground.

I have shown rake shaft L as projecting through slot I( in the wheel-bearing member I, this particular arrangement of the parts is adopted merely for compactness andconvenience in arranging the transmission mechanism whereby the rotary movement of the Vdrive-wheel 2 is imparted to the rake shaft L., By suitable modification of 4the means for transmitting rotation, from the drive- Ywheel 2 to the rake shaft L, tl e latter might be located forward or to Vthe rear of the drive-wheel or its hub and the bearing member I. The drive Vshaft L does not 1n any yway'serve asan axle for the hay-loader Y andrits only function is 'as a carrier and an` impeller tor thc' rotary rake and the lower end of the conveyor.

The meansior 4translnitting the rotation of the drive-wheels 2 to the rake cylinder Il It t iltl 'l f "F`0 9 siai 1s mos comp e ey, siovsn 1n lgs. n

and 3. By reason of thefact` that the `rake i and conveyor shaft L is carried by and occupies a fixed relation to the frame A While the position of the iframe relative; to the stub 'axles I andwheels 2 is varied from time to time, it necessary to provide a lllll drive-arm, but leaving .the drive-ar-mffree to move endwise. between the roller studs as the frame A andV withit`shaftjlgf are adjusted to different elevations Vrelative to As shown in VFigure 3, the drive-arm .I consistso'tfan outer section 11'jand an inner section I12, which 'at their outer 'ends lie in contactV and are secured together. At their vinner ends therparts` 11 and 12 ofthe arm l0 are spaced apart and separately'journaled ratl and 14 on'shaft L, receivingbetween them thctoothed wheel '15,which` is'secured to shaft L by a pin 16'. Pivoted between the parts 11, 12, of the arm 10 is a'pawl 17, `and a spring 1.8 secured to pawl 1'( is adapted keither to hold the pawl in engagement withtoothed wheel 15 ortopermit its'withdrawal there,

from. A bar 19'is fixed at its ends to angles 20 secured to `the inner yface of the rim of wheel 2. VStuds 21, preferably carrying, Y

4rollers,.are, lined 'at their innerends in bar 19 and: at their. outer ends in a plate V22,

the central` part of which is spaced from bar 19 and its ends in contactwith and Vsecured Y nected to said lever and' Wheel-bearingncoactingA guides upon saidvvheel .bearing and frame, a rake shaftanounted on saidV frame vindependently of said `Wheel-bearing, a

Wheel mounted on said'bearing, and means for-'transmitting rotation `from said Wheel to said shaft. L Y i 6.; Inan apparatus of the class described,ja Wheel bearing, a frame-adjustably supported on and slidablyengaging saidwheel bearing, saidwheel bearing` having slot extending therethrough, 'a rake shaft mounted on said frame `and'projecting'through said slot, a

wheel mounted'on said bearing, and' means, 15.4

Vfor transmitting lrotation. from said Wheel to said shaft. 4 t ,y

,7., In an apparatusof theclass described, a vvheel bearing comprising lan axle member, a frame-supporting member and a frameguidingmember, a frame adjustably supportedV on said supporting member and engaging said guiding member, `said Wheel bearing havingV a slot extending therethrough, a rake shaft Vmounted-on said frame and projecting through said slot a Wheel mountedonsaid. bearing, and means for transmitting rotation `from said Wheel to said shaft. y l

8; Inl an .apparatus of the classdescribed, Wheel bearing, a fame, a lever pivotally mounted on said frame, a link pivotally connected to said lever and Wheel bearing, said Wheel bearing having a slot extending therethrough, a rake shaft mounted onV vsaid frame and projecting` through said'slot, a wheel mounted on said bear ing,'and'means l for transmitting rotation from Vsaid Wheel to said shaft.

said Wheel to said shaft.

9. In an apparatus ofthe class described, a Wheel bearing, aV frame, aflever pivotally mounted on said frame, a link pivotally connected to saidlever and Wheel bearing, coacting guides upon said Wheel bearing and frame, said Wheel bearing having a slot extending Vtlierethrou,f:,rh,a rake shaft mounted on said frame and projecting vthrough said slot, a Wheel mounted on said bearing, and means for. transmitting ,rotationffrom y 10. In an apparatus of the class described, ,a frame, separate axles upon opposite sides of said frame, .said frame being mounted.l i

said'axles and having an independent vertical rectilinear adjustment` With relation thereto, a rake shaft mounted on said frame.

Vand extending through slots in said axles,

Wheels mounted on said axles, and means forftransmitting rotation from said VWheels vto said shaft.

l2; VIna hay-loader, a rotary rake comprising end members and rake bars connecting said end members, a conveyor comprising iexibly Vconnected cross-slats, saidconveyor extending around said rotary rake, and

'pivoted supporting members mounted on said rake bars intermediate and substantially spaced Vfrom their ends and adapted to V'support said slats during,theirrpassage around said rotary rake.v Y Y i3. In` a hay-loader, arota'ry rake comprising end members and rake bars connecting said Vend members,y a conveyor comprising` flexibly connected cross-slats, said conveyor extendingaroundsaid rotary rake, 'supporting members pivotally mountedon said rake bars intermediate and substantially spaced from their ends and adapted tosupport said slats during their passage around said' rotary 'A rake,and links connecting said supporting Vmembers.

y 14( In an apparatus'of the'cl'assdescribed, a Wheel bearing, a jframejhaving vertically disposed Vguide means coacting with said Wheel bearing, and adjustable frame-supporting means interposed between said frame and said Wheel bearing.4 l

" Signedfby'j me at RockIsland, Illinois,

this 29th day of December, 17922.

Y LEE II. KAUPKE. 

